Truman Quote

Being too good is apt to be uninteresting.—Harry S. Truman [1884-1972]

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Police Lieutenant Douglas Ducklow
Helps Capture Unscrupulous Fiancé in Hawaii
[Posted February 4, 2009]

Many of us of us living in the television viewing area of Minneapolis / Saint Paul have seen news reports this past January of a man arrested in Maui, Hawaii after wooing and then swindling a Pierce County, Wisconsin woman. After he stole her heart, he allegedly stole her computer, some jewelery and then fraudulently used her credit card to buy a one-way ticket to Hawaii to meet another girlfriend. The case was investigated and resulting arrest was due in part by the keen detective work of Lieutenant Douglas Ducklow.


Left: Land Sat Photo of Maui Hawaii
Source: Wikipedia Link

Douglas Ducklow is the Great, Great, Grandson of Thomas and Elizabeth Ducklow. He descends from Thomas and Elizabeth's son, Peter Ducklow. He has worked for the Pierce County Wisconsin Sheriff's Department for a number of years, recently being promoted to criminal investigator.

Here is the swindle story consolidated from two newspaper accounts [see footnotes]:

Raymond Jackson went on a "Catch me if you can"-esque adventure that ended with being "tasered" by police in a Maui hotel room. Mr. Jackson, age 40, is from Egan, Minnesota. The story began when he met Kathleen Cullen, age 49, at Prescott Days last September. They immediately started dating. Mr. Jackson moved in with her at her home in Diamond Bluff, Wisconsin shortly after Thanksgiving. He had given her a diamond ring and they were planning to be married in Las Vegas on New Year's Eve.



Right: Poster for the 2002 movie "Catch me if you can" starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo Dicaprio.
Based on the real life adventures of Frank Abagnale Jr., who during 1960s scammed millions of dollars posing successfully as a pilot, lawyer, doctor among other professions.
Source: Wikipedia Link

Two days before Christmas Mr. Jackson told Cullen that he needed to travel for business and said he was flying to Grand Forks, North Dakota. And in fact he did go to the airport. However, he did not board a plane for North Dakota, but rather hopped on a one-way flight to Hawaii. The cost of the ticket allegedly was paid for by unauthorized use of Cullen's credit card information.

Right: Location of Diamond Bluff, Pierce County, Wisconsin
Image Source: Wikipedia Link

When Cullen returned to her home in Diamond Bluff that night she discovered her laptop and cell phone missing. She grew suspicious and checked her credit card usage and found unexpected airfare charges to Hawaii. Her diamond engagement ring and pearl necklace were also gone.

Mr. Jackson apparently had made arrangements to meet up with a Azerbaijan women that he had been in communication with over the internet. When they meet in Hawaii, he is reported to have given Cullen's diamond ring and pearl necklace to the woman and had attempted to use Cullen's credit to purchase $160 in flowers from an Island florist. The pair also were reported to have made arrangements to meet again in Russia. By all appearances, Mr. Jackson had a new girlfriend.

Cullen contacted the Pierce County Sheriff's office and the case was immediately investigated by Lieutenant Douglas Ducklow. Detective work by Ducklow revealed that charges to Cullen's credit card were continuing to occur in Maui. He contacted the Maui police and explained the situation and the fact that Mr. Jackson now had a bench warrant against him.

The end of Mr. Jackson's adventure came on January 9th when police, posing as Cullen in email communications, tricked him into making a phone call to her. When Jackson made the call from his hotel room, police were able to trace his exact location. Officers went to his room and knocked. Jackson however did not respond so the police threatened to break-down the door. As they were preparing to forcibly enter, he came to the door and let them in. However, he did not comply with their order for him to lie on the floor; instead he turned and began to walk toward the room's open lanai (balcony). The police responded by firing their Taser stun gun at him to immobilize him. He was then handcuffed and arrested.

His new girlfriend had apparently had already left returning to her home in Azerbaijan.


Right: Map of Eastern Europe and the Mideast. Azerbaijan is lies to the east of Turkey.
Source: Wikipedia Link






Mr. Jackson is now a guest in the Maui correctional facility until a scheduled trail on April 6th. He faces theft charges for his alleged credit card fraud and failure to pay his $800 bill at the Maui Prince Hotel. He was reported to have only $6.67 and a single Russian coin in his pockets. After his trial completes in Hawaii, Mr. Jackson is due to be extradited to Wisconsin. He faces theft and credit card fraud charges in Pierce County. This is not Mr. Jackson's first attempt at swindle. He is reported to have a history of fraud arrests in a number of states from California to Tennessee according to court records.

Right: Maui Community Correctional Center

Source: Hawaiian Government Link

Congratulations to Lieutenant Douglas Ducklow in helping make this scoundrel's arrest possible.

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Source: Hastings Star Gazette January 26, 2009: "Fleeing Fiance Zapped by Maui Cops," Link
Source: Maui News, January 16, 2009: "Wayward Fiance Arrested in Fraud, Theft Case," Link

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February Birthday's of the
Descendants & Near Relatives
of Thomas and Elizabeth Ducklow

(Only those born in the year 1930 or earlier are noted, unless permission given to publish)

Name ................................................. Birth Date .. From Wisconsin County
James "Jim" Richard DUCKLOW .................. 2 Feb 1862 ...... Barron
Henry "Hank" Willard THOMPSON .............. 2 Feb 1907 ...... Maricopa, AZ
Alta Bryle nee HAMMANN BLAIR ................ 4 Feb 1901 ....... Barron
Jerome Theodore John HANSON .................. 6 Feb 1929 ...... Barron
Minnie nee BERKHOLTZ DUCKLOW ......... 10 Feb 1901 ...... Winnebago
Lamont Vernon DUCKLOW ......................... 12 Feb 1908 ...... Pierce
George TORGERSON .................................... 13 Feb 1902 ..... Des Moines, IA
Josie Emma nee DUCKLOW RICKERD ....... 14 Feb 1883 ..... Pierce
Jeffrey Michael DUCKLOW .......................... 16 Feb .............. Hennepin, MN
Alan D MARKER ........................................... 17 Feb 1922 ...... Sonoma, CA
Frank Erwin DUCKLOW ............................... 17 Feb 1885 ..... Pierce
Hilma C nee THOLLANDER HANSON ........ 18 Feb 1890 .... Barron
Milton "Buck" Charles BLAIR ....................... 18 Feb 1924 ..... Dane
James Walter GOOD ...................................... 19 Feb 1866 .... Ashland
Mary Elizabeth nee WAGNER DUCKLOW ... 21 Feb 1889 .... Monroe
Lynn Shaw DUCKLOW .................................. 21 Feb 1902 .... Monroe
Josie Belle nee ROATCH DUCKLOW ........... 24 Feb 1884 .... Pierce
Robert "Bob" Charles DUCKLOW ................. 26 Feb 1922 .... Outagamie
Lilah M nee HANSON ROGSTAD .................. Feb 1890 ........ Barron
Francis "Mickey" Michael HOGAN ................ Feb 1930 ........ Ashland

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Truman Quote

It's a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it's a depression when you lose yours.—Harry S. Truman [1884-1972]

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Biography of Fred J. Hanson
Son of John Hanson and Elizabeth Ducklow Hanson
[Published January 25, 2009]

The biography of Fred J Hanson that follows is excerpted from page 480 of a book titled History of Barron Co., Wisconsin published by H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co. in 1922. This tome is another example of a self-congratulating local "history" filled dotted with complementary language outlining the life and virtues of a local area's many esteemed citizens. This history book's volume of pages are a primarily a collection of paid autobiographies of some residents the Barron County area with some some information about the attractive features of the county that make it a great place to carve-out a living. A separate post in this blog containing biography of Charles Ducklow discusses the economic nature of this types of local biographical books.

Fred J Hanson was the first born of Elizabeth Ducklow and John Hanson. Elizabeth was Thomas and Elizabeth Ducklow's tenth child. Elizabeth and John Hanson moved from the Oconomowoc area to Clinton Township in Barron County about three years after the were wed. both Fred and his sister Nellie came to Barron County as very young children (ages three and one, respectively).

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Fred J. Hanson, an active farmer of section 11, Clinton Township, was born at Oconomowoc, Waukesha County, Wisconsin, Dec. 2, 1883, the son of John and Elizabeth (Ducklow) Hanson, natives of Ashland County, Wisconsin [see footnote], of Norwegian and Irish descent. John Hanson is a farmer and carpenter. He came to Clinton Township in 1886, and secured 80 acres in section 2, to which he later added 80 more, making a good place of 160 acres, which he developed, and where he carried on general farming until his retirement. In the family there were eight children. Fred J. is a Clinton farmer. Nellie is the wife of Charles Blair, of Clinton Township. Charles farms on the old homestead, Lila is in Rice Lake. Theodore J. lives in Poskin, this county. Gordon, Clarence and an unnamed infant are dead. Fred J. was brought to this township when he was three years old, and was here reared and educated. He thoroughly learned farming and carpentering from his father, and remained at home until after he was 27 years old, helping with the farm work and following his trade throughout the surrounding country. In the fall of 1911 he bought 80 acres in section 11, Clinton Township. He has developed this into a good place, and here he successfully carries on general farming, stock raising and dairying, breeding good cows, horses, sheep and swine. He is one of the enterprising young men of the community, modern in his methods, liberal in his ideas, and held in the highest liking and esteem by all who know him. Mr. Hanson was married at Dallas, this county, Sept. 27, 1911, to Hilma Thollander, who was born in Clinton Township on Feb. 18, 1890, the daughter of Charles J. and Signe Thollander, natives respectively of Sweden and Norway, and early settlers of Clinton Township, who now live at Hudson, this state. There were two other children in the family: Teekla and Emma, who died at the age of two years. Mr. and Mrs. Hanson have two bright children. Budd J. was born Oct. 28, 1915, and Glen C. was born April 8, 1917.

Footnote: This biography states that John and Elizabeth are natives of Ashland, Wisconsin. This is the only reference the author has ever found stating that Elizabeth or John are from Ashland. If they were from Ashland, they had lived there for only a very short time. Both Elizabeth and John were born in Dodge and and Jefferson Counties in southern Wisconsin, were wed there and had their first two children born there.

Footnote: The original publication occurred in 1922. Its copyright expired on or before 1997 . The book is now in the public domain.

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Twain Quote

Sufficient unto the day is one baby. As long as you are in your right mind don't you ever pray for twins. Twins amount to a permanent riot; and there ain't any real difference between triplets and a insurrection. —Mark Twain [1835-1910] from "The Babies Speech" given in 1879

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Twins and Triplets in the Greater Ducklow Family
[Published January 4, 2009]

There are four known sets of twins and two known sets of triplets born in the total of about the 750 children identified as descendants of Thomas and Elizabeth Ducklow [see footnote]. The number of sets is notably fewer twins than the expected average (the average would be in the range of 15 to 22 sets for 750 births). However, it is about the expected number for triplet births (average is about 1 to 1.4 sets for 750 births) [see footnote]. Note that its seems much more likely that twins or triplets will be born from the George Ducklow line than the other branches of Thomas and Elizabeth's children.

A set of twins born in 1932; descendants of George Ducklow
A set of twins born in 1962; descendants of Peter Ducklow
A set of triplets born in 1996; descendants of George Ducklow
A set of triples born in 1996; descendants of Charles Ducklow
A set of twins born in 1998; descendants of George Ducklow
A set of twins born in 1999; descendants of George Ducklow

There is a possibility too that Thomas and Elizabeth's eighth and ninth children where twins: Infant Elizabeth and Infant Maria Jane, both born around 1855 or 1856. Information is lacking, but at least one fellow genealogist believes that these two infants could have been twins. Both of these children died as infants or toddlers. Maria Jane likely in 1856 and Elizabeth in February of 1857.

Footnote: The research continues on identifying all descendants of Thomas and Elizabeth Ducklow. 750 is the number charted so far.

Footnote: Source of the twin and triplet birth rate information comes from the March of Dimes web site. Link here.

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January Birthday's of the
Descendants & Near Relatives
of Thomas and Elizabeth Ducklow

(Only those born in the year 1930 or earlier are noted, unless permission given to publish)

Name ................................................. Birth Date .. From Wisconsin County
Gladys Nellie LLOYD nee BLAIR ................ 4 Jan 1912 ... Barron
Beatrice TORGERSON nee DUCKLOW ..... 4 Jan 1904 ... Barron
George Nicholson DUCKOW .................... 14 Jan 1899 ... Sheboygan
Phyllis Vorene BLAIR ................................ 15 Jan 1920 ... Barron
Alois Verlin DUCKLOW ............................. 22 Jan 1916 ... Pierce
Gerald Lynn "Jerry" DUCKLOW ............... 22 Jan 1930 ... Wisconsin
Fay Ellsworth DUCKLOW ......................... 25 Jan 1920 ... SK, Canada
Wayne Lavon TORGERSON ...................... 25 Jan 1928 ... Wisconsin
George William "Duck" DUCKLOW .......... 29 Jan 1926 ... Hennepin, MN
Pauline Cecil DUCKOW nee PEARCE ....... 29 Jan 1909 ... Iowa
John Neil CARTER ..................................... Jan 1928 ....... Douglas, OR

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Truman Quote

Always be sincere, even if you don't mean it.—Harry S. Truman [1884-1972]

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Biography of Charles Ducklow
Background on Community-Based “History Books”
[Updated January 7, 2009]

In the late 1800s and into the early 1900s several printing companies entered the business of publishing "history books” on local communities and its key members. Publishers of these books were particularly successful when they found a community where pride and egos were in battle among prominent community members. Books from these publishers would typically have a chapter or two about the origin of the community and the geography that made the area highly desirable to live and work. Beyond these obligatory chapters, the vast volume of the book was filled with short biographical sketches of members of the community. Each person depicted was painted in glowing terms with flowery language that surely caused a few readers to consult a dictionary. In many cases the virtues of some men were so exemplary it is a wonder why the Catholic Church never conferred sainthood!

One quickly comes to understand that these types of “history” books were not particularly concerned about recording a balanced and accurate history at all, but rather about the publisher making money by playing into egos. They earned revenues by getting many "key" members of the community to pay a fee to be included in the book. Those that paid a fee were either interviewed by an agent of the publisher or the subject themselves created an autobiography by filling-out and mailing-in a questionnaire. The publisher’s staff writers converted the raw and often boring information into a glowing short biography. Little, if any, fact checking was done— the quality of the information was completely up to those providing the data. Inconvenient facts or embarrassing history was easily ignored.

Once enough community members signed-up and provided information, the publisher printed the “history book.” Beyond the up-front revenue from biography fees, the publisher also made money by selling the compilation of biographies back to everyone included, as well to selling it to the local libraries.

For uncertain reasons, these types of self-congratulating community books lost favor upon the start of World War II. However, a variation of the form continued at least into the late 1900s: The "Who's Who" series of books was still being printed in the 1980s, but rather than being based around a local area, they most often were centered on an industry or profession and covered the entire nation.

So what has this have to do with the greater Ducklow family history?

As fate would have it, Charles Ducklow, son of Thomas and Elizabeth, had his biography published, posthumously, in the "History of Monroe County." It was first printed in 1912 by C.F. Cooper & Co. firm of Chicago, Illinois. Charles’ family, or the perhaps the Masonic fraternity paid homage to him, including the extra expense to have his picture published on a stand-alone page [see image above]. Here is entire biography for Charles from that book [see footnote on copyright].

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"History of Monroe County"
Originally Published in 1912 by C.F. Cooper & Co., in Chicago, Illinois
pp. 658-660

Charles Ducklow, deceased. To the young men of our land the life of the subject of this sketch is an enduring example of the cardinal virtues of industry, uprightness and frugality, of strict temperance and unwearied perseverance.

Mr. Ducklow was a native of Wisconsin, born April 3, 1853 in the town of Ashippun, Dodge county. His parents were Thomas and Elizabeth (Nicholson) Ducklow, natives of Cork, Ireland, and who came to the United States and settle in Dodge county in the early forties. They were the parents of twelve children. [see footnote] Charles being the eighth in order of birth. Five brothers and three sisters still survive. [see footnote]

Charles Ducklow passed his boyhood in Dodge county and his early experiences were those of the average poor boy of that region. He received his early education in the common schools of his native place, and in 1874 began the trade of carpenter and joiner, and followed this occupation in his home town, and also bought cattle in Calumet and Pierce counties. In 1879, he removed to Pierce county, Wisconsin, where he continued at cattle buying, until 1883, whence he moved to Modena, Buffalo county, and was postmaster under both the Garfield and Harrison administrations, and also engaged in mercantile pursuits, carrying on a successful business here until the spring of 1890. He then moved to Wilton, Monroe county, and resumed his mercantile trade in that place. In 1893 he added a lumber yard to his other line of business, which he enlarged from time to time as increasing trade demanded. In 1897 he disposed of his mercantile establishment and from that time on devoted his entire attention to his lumber interests, which grew to such large proportions, that at the time of his decease, November 26, 1911, his was among the largest enterprises of its kind Monroe county. He was a man of excellent ability, keen foresight, and success crowned his efforts. In all his affairs, Mr. Ducklow as characterized by his promptness, good judgment and conservation, and admired by all who were brought into contact with him for his honorable and inherent methods, and his passing away was mourned as that of a good man, a useful citizen and a loyal friend. He took a commendable interest in public affairs, and for several years worked in Republican campaigns.

Mr. Ducklow was reared an Episcopalian, but contributed liberally to the support of other churches. He was prominent in Masonic circles, a member of Wilton Lodge, No. 203, Sparta Lodge, No. 19, R. A. M., Sparta Commandery, No. 16, Wisconsin Consistory, Scottish Rite, and Tripola Temple, Mystic Shrine, Milwaukee. He was also a member of the Eastern Star, and Modern Woodmen of America. The burial was made at Woodlawn cemetery, Sparta, November 30, 1911, under Masonic auspices.

On November 20, 1882, Mr. Ducklow was united in marriage to Miss Eva I. Shaw, daughter of John and Jerusha A. (Wheeler) Shaw, residents of Rock Elm, Pierce county. Mrs. Ducklow is a native of Dodge county, Wisconsin where her parents resided for many years. Her father died in 1904; he was born in 1840. Her mother is still living.

To Mr. and Mrs. Ducklow were born four children, viz: William T., born October 22, 1883; Elmer E., born March 25, 1889; Charles E., born March 15, 1891, and Lynn S. Ducklow, born February 21, 1902.

Since the death of his father, William T. has been the active manager of the lumber business formerly conducted by his father. He is an enterprising young business man and gives promise of becoming one of Monroe county’s most influential citizens, following in the footsteps of his father in many ways. He is also active in Masonic circles, being a member of the same bodies as was his father, with the exception of the Eastern Star.

Mrs. Ducklow is a most estimable lady whose superior qualities of mind and heart attract to her the admiration of all who come within the range of her influence, and presides with grace and dignity over her beautiful home at Wilton.

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Footnote: The original publication occurred in 1912. Its copyright expired on or before 1987 . The book is now in the public domain.

Footnote: This biography states that Thomas and Elizabeth had twelve children. This is in conflict with the burial and baptism records of St. Paul's Church of Ashippun Township, Dodge County, Wisconsin. These records indicate that there were three siblings that died as infants. A count of twelve children would only account for one on these infants. Such a count may be a case that where the author of Charles' biography choose to ignore two deaths that may have been still-born, or perhaps was even unaware of two of the infants at all.

Footnote: This biography states that Charles was the eighth born. This seems certainly wrong, even with using a count of twelve children. All facts researched would indicated that he was the seventh born.

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